X-ray film holding device



Sept. 9, 1941 J. ENGEL 2,255,580

X-RAY FILM HOLDING DEVICE Filed March 18, 194 O ---!5 /e i y a 1,5 r 20I /6 INVENTOR. JOSEPH ENGEL.

wan/1141a. w

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE X-RAY FILM HOLDINGDEVICE Joseph Engel, New York, N. Y., assignor to Adele R. Engel, NewRochelle, N. Y.

3 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for supporting X-ray or otherphotographic films and plates while undergoing development, or othertreatment while submerged in a liquid bath.

An object of the invention is to provide a skeleton frame in which thefilm is held in such a manner as to avoid distortion, blurring bycontact of its surfaces, marring by fasteners, marking on the edge, andcollection of dust, while permitting free, full and complete contact ofthe liquid to all of its surfaces.

A further feature is in the provision of a holder capable of supportingfilms in upright columns, independently of each other, and having meansto engage over the rim of a tank, or rods disposed thereon.

Another purpose is to produce a three-point edge support for a film,having means to carry a label bearing designations relative to the film,all parts being of inexpensive manufacture.

These and other valuable objects which will later appear, areaccomplished by the novel and practical construction, combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this disclosure, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional type developing tankpartially broken away to show an application of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of a duplex formof the device.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational View of the same.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating a single holder as displayedwithin a tray.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a modified form of the device.

Referring in detail to the several views, a common form of tank isdesignated by the letter X, the tray Y and the film to be treated Z.

The film here depicted is of the small standard size, such as iscommonly used for X-raying the teeth, an elongated rectangle in profile,of thin material, as celluloid, and having a light sensitive emulsionthereon.

The film support, as shown, is composed of two parts, a hanger hook l5and cradle 20, sheared from blanks of sheet material, to produce at oneend the hook I 5 suited to freely engage over the edge of a tank, trayor like container, holding the developing liquid, or over rods restingon its rim, in such manner that it can be readily grasped by the hand ofan operator.

Below the hook l5 the material is extended laterally forming a pair ofopposed tabs 16 provided with openings IT by which may be secured ablank panel l8, preferably of material adapted to undergo surfaceerasion, to receive inscriptions relative to the film Z.

At a point midway of and below the horizontal center of the tabs arestrips 20 secured to the support, as at l9, at their upper ends, thestrips being twisted at right angles connected at their lowerextremities, as at 2|; if preferred, other similar integral connectionsmay extend across the strips at different distances apart.

The rear edges of these strips may be straight, but their front edgesare sheared and the narrow branches twisted centrally of their length,at right angles, to produce bowshaped, integral horizontal loops 22,consisting of a straight element 23, joined at its ends by an arcuatelycurved guard 24, these elements being so proportioned that the distancebetween the corner intersections is slightly less than the width of thefilm Z to be treated.

The front edges of the strips 2!! are further sheared to producebranches 25 bent upwardly and outwardly and fixed to the center of thearcuate guard 24 in the manner of a strut, their curved bottoms actingas seats on which the films rest when positioned in the loops 22.

In Figures 5 and 6, a single film support is shown, suited for use inconnection with a shallow tray Y, but having the characteristic featuresdescribed previously.

It is to be noted that, while sheet material has been mentioned, wire ofa suitable size may be substituted and the same bent to produce a devicefully equivalent and of the same general structure.

Attention is called to Figure 3, as showing clearly the angular positionof the films, the manner in which they are held by compression at theirside edges, and by which they are temporarily given a curvature whilebeing treated, together with the fact that each film is heldindependently, safely and completely out of contact with any part of thesupport that can interfere with proper development of the image carriedby the film.

In the modified form shown in Figure 7, the branch portions 25,indicated in this view as 25, extend upwardly but do not contact thearcuate band 24 in the manner of a strut, as previously described.However, their curved bottoms act as seats on which the films rest whenpositioned in the loops 24, in the same manner as indicated in the formshown in Figures 1 to 6. In this form the cost of manufacturing thedevice is somewhat reduced.

Obviously there are no fastenings to secure or release, the elasticityof the film material acting as the only binding or clamping agent; amoderate pressure exerted on the edges of the film is sufficient toenter or remove the same.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of the best known embodiment ofthe invention, the device may take all such other forms as fall withinthe scope of the clams.

Having thus described the invention and set forth the manner of itsconstruction, application and use, what is claimed as new and sought tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A photographic film holder for developing purposes, comprising asupport hook having a wide integral base, a perforate lug formed on eachend of said base at its front, a blank panel engageable at its ends inthe perforations of said lugs, said panel having a surface adapted toreceive inscriptions capable of being erased, one or more stripsdepending from said base, and means integral with said strips tosupportingly engage the bottom and both side edges of a film.

2. A photographic film holder for developing purposes, comprising asupport hook having a base, a vertical strip supported thereby, saidstrip having an integral branch shaped to present a closed bow-shapedtransverse guard, the distance between the inner ends of the bow beingless than the width of a film disposed therein, and a strutlike branchof said strip connecting with said bow-shaped guard at the center of itsconvexity.

3. A photographic film holder for developing

